Columbus Blue Jackets Expansion Draft Revolves Around Hartnell
The upcoming expansion draft will be unpredictable and the Columbus Blue Jackets will have to expose at least four quality players. The Jackets expansion scenarios all start with Scott Hartnell.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are one of the teams set to lose the most in the expansion draft. With the depth and youth of the CBJ, there are plenty of targets for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Any discussion about the draft options for the CBJ starts with protecting the no brainers. Sergei Bobrovsky, Seth Jones, David Savard, Brandon Saad, Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg, Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky, and Nick Folignio will all be protected. Because of both no movement clauses (NMC) and their level of skill.
One player though I left out that has a no movement clause is Scott Hartnell. The 35-year-old winger has to be the beginning of every Columbus Blue Jackets expansion draft conversation. The Jackets will be exposing several exciting young forwards that Vegas will have a keen eye on. Protecting as many of those forwards has to be the top priority of the CBJ.
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If the CBJ can convince Hartnell to drop the NMC, they can then protect Josh Anderson as well as the forwards listed above. This scenario is universally agreed upon as the best option for the squad.
It allows the team to protect another forward with almost certain guarantees that they don’t lose Hartnell either. He is too old and his contract too daunting to really waste an expansion pick on for the Golden Knights.
So, will Scott Hartnell then drop his no movement clause?
Why Hartnell Won’t Drop the NMC
Scott Hartnell loves Columbus (who doesn’t honestly). He loves the city and the organization. He has said on several occasions he wants to win a Cup here in Ohio. Hartnell is also getting married this summer and will further spread his roots in Columbus following the joyous occasion.
Scott has earned his NMC and theoretically took a slight pay cut to build in the NMC to his contract. Why would a player willingly give up something he earned and negotiated for.
With Hartnell’s intentions to stay in Columbus and the money he sacrificed for the NMC, a good will gesture is not worth it. Hartnell holds on to the NMC.
Why Hartnell Will Drop the NMC
The man is 35 and has been around the league. Hartnell knows what the Jackets have cooking here is special. Scott has two years on his deal and wants to win in Columbus.
The best way to bring a cup to Columbus is for Hartnell to ensure this CBJ squad is young and strong. Keeping Josh Anderson in Ohio is key to that. He knows he will continue to be a member of the team following the expansion draft and wants to make sure the 11 other forwards on the starting roster are as good as possible.
For the good of the club and for his future Cup aspirations, Hartnell will waive his NMC. If so the Jackets could focus on the defense corps and protecting Joonas Korpisalo from being drafted. If not, the Jackets have a lot more pieces in flux.
The future of the organization will be riding on this decision. Good thing Scott Hartnell reads unionandblue.com everyday. He will read this well thought out post and make the right decision for the Columbus Blue Jackets and himself.